brucespringsteenfandomcom-20200214-history
Thunder Road
Thunder Road is a song from Bruce Springsteen's third studio album, ''Born to Run'', released on August 25, 1975. The title came from the 1958 Robert Mitchum film, which Bruce never saw. The line "Roy Orbison sings for the lonely" is a reference to Roy Orbison's song "Only the Lonely". The name of the girl in the song has been changed multiple times during the writing process; first it was Angelina and Chrissie before Mary. The song was originally going to be called "Glory Road" and then "Wings for Wheels". Springsteen originally wanted an acoustic version of "Thunder Road" to open Born to Run and the full band version to close the album. Lyrics The screen door slams Mary's dress waves Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays Roy Orbison singing for the lonely Hey that's me and I want you only Don't turn me home again I just can't face myself alone again Don't run back inside Darling, you know just what I'm here for So you're scared and you're thinking that maybe we ain't that young anymore Show a little faith, there's magic in the night You ain't a beauty, but hey you're all right oh and that's all right with me You can hide 'neath your covers and study your pain make crosses from your lovers, throw roses in the rain waste your summer praying in vain for a savior to rise from these streets Well now, I'm no hero, that's understood All the redemption I can offer, girl, is beneath this dirty hood With a chance to make it good somehow, what else can we do now Except roll down the window and let the wind blow back your hair Well the night's busting open these two lanes will take us anywhere We got one last chance to make it real To trade in these wings on some wheels Climb in back, heaven's waiting down on the tracks Oh, come take my hand We're riding out to case the promised land Oh Thunder Road, Oh Thunder Road, Oh Thunder Road Lying out there like a killer in the sun Hey, I know it's late we can make it if we run Oh Thunder Road, sit tight, take hold Thunder Road Well I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk And my car's out back if you're ready to take that long walk From your front porch to my front seat The door's open but the ride, it ain't free And I know you're lonely for words I ain't spoken Tonight, girl, we'll be free, all the promises'll be broken There were ghosts in the eyes of all the boys you sent away They haunt this dusty beach road in the skeleton frames of burned out Chevrolets They scream your name at night in the street Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet And in the lonely cool before the dawn You hear their engines roaring on Before you get to the porch, they're gone on the wind So Mary climb in It's a town full of losers, I'm pulling out of here to win Early Lyrics The following are lyrics from an early acoustic outtake version: The screen door slams, Chrissie's dress sways Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays Roy Orbison singing for the lonely Hey that's me babe and I want you only Don't turn me home again I just can't face myself alone again tonight Don't run back inside, baby you know just what I'm here for So you're scared and you're thinking that maybe we ain't that young anymore Woman there's magic in the night You ain't a beauty, but hey you're alright And that's alright with me You can hide 'neath your covers and study your pain Make crosses from your lovers, throw roses in the rain Waste your summer praying in vain for a saviour to rise from these streets Well I ain't no hero, that's understood All the redemption I can offer, babe, 's beneath this old hood With one last chance to make it good somehow Hey what else can you do now Except roll down the window and let the wind blow back your hair Well the night's bustin' open and these two lanes will take us anywhere We got one last chance to make it real To trade in these wings for some wheels Climb in back, it's waiting down on the tracks When I try hard Chrissie to understand I'm riding out tonight to case the promised land Baby if you're born with nothing in your hands Hey it's your only chance Well it's lying out there like a killer in the sun Yeah I know it's late but we can make it if we run Oh I wish you could come So leave what you've lost, leave what's grown old on Thunder Road Well I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk My car's out back if you're ready to take that long walk From your front porch to my front seat Hey the door's open but the ride it ain't free Well there were ghosts in the eyes of the boys that you sent away They haunt this dirty beach road in the skeleton remains of burnt out Chevrolets They scream to you at night from the street Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet And in the lonely cool before dawn From you room you hear their engines roar on But when you get to the porch they're gone, lost in the wind, so Chrissie climb in It's a town for losers and I'm pulling outta here to win﻿ Music Video A live performance of the song from the No Nukes concert film was released as the official music video in 1980. It was directed by Danny Goldberg, Julian Schlossberg, and Anthony Potenza. Personnel Bruce Springsteen - guitar, vocals, harmonica Garry Tallent - bass guitar Max M. Weinberg - drums Roy Bittan - Fender Rhodes, glockenspiel, background vocals Clarence Clemons - saxophones Mike Appel - background vocals Steven Van Zandt - background vocals Category:Songs Category:Born To Run songs Category:Live 1975-85 songs Category:In Concert/MTV Plugged songs Category:Greatest Hits (1995) songs Category:The Essential Bruce Springsteen songs Category:Hammersmith Odeon London '75 songs Category:Greatest Hits (2009) songs Category:Live In New York City songs Category:Collection: 1973-2012 songs Category:The Ties That Bind: The River Collection songs Category:The River Tour, Tempe 1980 songs Category:Live in Barcelona songs Category:VH1 Storytellers songs Category:A MusiCares Tribute to Bruce Springsteen songs